SONG OF FAREWELL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 14, 12 October 1943, Page 5

SONG OF FAREWELL

GOVERNOR GENERAL'S REQUEST

TOKOMARU BAY INCIDENT

It took place in the massive, and elaborately carved Maori meetinghouse at Tokomaru Bay on the occasion of the. A'isit of His Excellency the Governor-General's visit to that historic centre for the purpose of officially opening the new and spacious meeting hall. The greeting ceremony to the Maori mind at least must not be bustled and inside the tall interior some 400 or 500 Maoris did their best to entertain the official party ranged about the daisi AVith the Ministerial Party which included the Prime Minister, Hon. AV. E. Parry and F. Jones Avas Mr AV. Sullivan, M.P.,, Avith Mrs Snlilvan.

Speeches were interspersed with songs and dances by a well trained troop of seventy Maori girls. The rhythm and cadance of each number provoked a storm of applause and in the tall vaulted building with its massive carvings and beautiful reed work the whole atmosphere was impressive and uplifting. The farewell song to the soldiers of the Maori Battalion "Hoko "Whelu Atu" was however the song that appealed most of :i]I —especially the solo part which was sung in a soft soprano accompaniment. When the applause, had died. down, the Maori master of ceremonies announced that the. items would be interspersed with the -speeches and the. girls were at the beck and call of the visitors should they desire any numbers to be repeated Sir Cyril Ncwall who had been one of the foremost in expressing lvis appreciation, immediately asked if the soldiers farewell song could be repeated once more for his benefit. It was done —and how those Maoris I sang it 1